Constipation Specialist

What is constipation?

Constipation is having less than three bowel movements in a week. If you have chronic constipation, you may have infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing stools for several weeks or longer.

Typically, constipation starts when waste moves too slowly through your digestive tract. The stool that forms can become dry and hard, making it more difficult to pass out of your rectum.

Occasional constipation can occur because of dietary changes, dehydration, or illness. If you have chronic constipation, it can be due to one or more underlying issues like:

• Hormone imbalance
• Pelvic muscle weakness
• Neurological dysfunction
• Colon or rectum blockages

If left untreated, chronic constipation can cause hemorrhoids, tears in the anus (anal fissures), and fecal impaction, a condition where hardened stool becomes trapped in the intestines.

When should I seek treatment for constipation?

Occasional constipation is often treatable with over-the-counter medications, dietary changes, and regular exercise.

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation for chronic constipation at The Gastroenterology Group if you have problems like:

• Hard or lumpy stools
• Straining during bowel movements
• Difficulties emptying stool from the rectum
• Having less than three bowel movements in a week

The gastroenterology team offers physical and rectal exams and on-site diagnostic testing to determine what’s causing your constipation.

They may also request a sigmoidoscopy, a procedure to examine your anus, rectum, and the last section of your large intestine (the sigmoid colon) with a lighted scope, or a colonoscopy to examine your entire colon.

How is constipation treated?

Initially, your treatment plan for constipation will include diet changes to increase your water and fiber intake. You could also need laxatives or stool softeners to make bowel movements easier.

If you have chronic constipation, The Gastroenterology Group team could prescribe medications that draw more water into your intestines and move stool through your colon.

When a blockage in your intestines or rectum contributes to constipation, you might need surgery. The team offers procedures to remove impacted stool, treat hemorrhoids, and repair anal fissures and other complications caused by chronic constipation.

Call The Gastroenterology Group office today to schedule a diagnostic evaluation for constipation or book a consultation online.